(Heartfelt thanks to 'Cai Bu Jiao Xiao Pang' for the 1,888 reward, and to 'Shao Feng Ye', 'Lei Xiang', 'Yume no Shouyou', 'Tsuki Yuutsuki', and 'Xiao Er Yao He' for their rewards!)
Gensokyo, Bamboo Forest of the Lost...
It had already been an hour since Wu Yan, Patchouli, and Alice entered the Bamboo Forest of the Lost...
Over that hour, the thick fog permeating the Bamboo Forest of the Lost had not dispersed with time. Instead, it had become even more concentrated.
From outside the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, one might only see the fog within gradually contracting deeper into the forest. But if one were inside, they would discover that as the fog receded, it actually grew thicker among the trees.
The Bamboo Forest of the Lost had always been an extremely easy place to get lost in. With this dense fog added on top, trying to keep one's bearings in the forest was unbelievably difficult.
Even for people who had entered the Bamboo Forest of the Lost before and found their way through it.
Yes, even those who had previously entered the Bamboo Forest of the Lost and found their way through it...
Standing amid a bamboo grove where there was nothing but bamboo in every direction, Wu Yan raised his head and surveyed the fog-filled place, where even sunlight could not reach. Then he looked at Patchouli and Alice standing before him, both pretending to be composed. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"You came with Remilia to attend the exhibition Eientei held..."
Patchouli's delicate body trembled.
"Someone attended that exhibition too..."
Alice's delicate body trembled.
"Someone declared that she would definitely obtain Marisa's secret..."
Patchouli's body trembled again.
"Someone else also declared that she would definitely be the one to obtain Marisa's secret..."
Alice's